Report September 2026

Expert Forum (EFOR) is a think tank based in Bucharest, set up by well-known experts in public policy and public governance reform. Expert Forum members have been involved in the most important evaluations of institutional reforms in the public administration and have analyzed the policy process in recent years in Romania and neighboring countries (particularly in the Western Balkans and Moldova), in collaboration with the European Commission, Council of Europe, World Bank and United Nations Development Programme. EFOR is uniquely positioned as an election-monitoring NGO that works on political transparency and monitoring digital disinformation. Our motivation to join the Code of Conduct on Disinformation is connected to recent developments in Romania. Expert Forum is the only Romanian think tank that had an integrated nationwide election observation effort, beyond the election day, focusing on: disinformation; monitoring of electoral legislation; party and campaign financing; and observation during the election day. We led regional NGO’s and provided a voter information platform, trainings for independent observers in the voting station, and a call-center for citizens. Votcorect.ro, is a comprehensive platform that provides voters with accurate electoral information, facilitates the reporting of irregularities, and supports independent election observers. This initiative builds on EFOR’s extensive experience in election monitoring, dating back to 2014, and aims to engage civil society in protecting democratic processes. Expert Forum is one of the main think tanks in Romania that is doing proactive monitoring of online trends and influence operations. EFOR’s research was used in November 2024 by the National Audio-Visual Council to file a request to the EU Commission to investigate TikTok’s role in allowing the dissemination of a coordinated network of accounts to manipulate voting behavior. Expert Forum is part of the consultation forum of experts that advises ANCOM - Romania’s Digital Service Coordinator that implements the Digital Services Act and took part in consultations with the European Commission, VLOPS (big platforms like Meta, TikTok).